reorientation
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of reorientation
First recorded in 1915–20; re- + orientation
Explanation
Reorientation is the act of figuring out again where you are in relationship to your environment, or changing direction. If you're lost in the woods, a compass and map are good for reorientation. Reorientation is often related to location: figuring out where you are and pointing yourself in the right direction. A football player who gets spun around on the field may need a quick reorientation so he doesn't run the wrong way. But reorientation is also about rethinking, and maybe changing, the way you approach something, like an idea or a project.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Serious reform would require a major reorientation and rebalancing of local-government finances within China.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026
And its reorientation was all but finalised, he said.
From Barron's • Feb. 2, 2026
He added that the economy would need a wholesale reorientation rather than a redistribution of resources in favor of the victors.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 30, 2025
This active reorientation towards a few, particularly close relationships could explain why ageing humans live in ever smaller social networks.
From Science Daily • Mar. 15, 2024
Reeducation includes political reorientation, general education, and vocational training.
From Area Handbook for Bulgaria by Baluyut, Violeta D.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
